Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”. - Jn 5:24.

God created man a Spiritual being. God gave man a body when He formed him of the dust of the ground. God breathed life into this body and man became a living soul. He placed a spirit in this living soul. So, man is spirit, soul and body, a wholesome being. (Psycho-somatic Spirit?). Each of these entities can exist and die separately.

Life in the spirit makes man conscious of God and enables him to communicate with God. Life in the soul makes man conscious of himself and makes him communicate among his faculties. Life in the body makes a man conscious of his surroundings and enables him to communicate with his fellowmen.

Man owes his life in body, soul and spirit to God; the first man also depended on God’s life for his everyday sustenance. The Spirit of God in Christ the LORD God, instructed man to live a righteous life and the Spirit strengthened him to live it in his soul and body – in thought, word and deed. He also warned man of the consequences of breaking away and living independent of Him. This breakaway would result in death – death of the spirit first, then consequently the death of the body.

[God’s intent and determined order was that the Spirit of God must guide man’s spirit to rule one’s soul and body. In the absence of the life in the spirit of man, the body takes over sometimes to dominate the soul or vice versa. Body-dominant individuals are ruled by their physical appetites and keep feeding and satisfying their unquenchable senses and sensuality. Gluttony, sexual immorality, pornography and ungodly music are few evidence of body ruling the mind. Religion, yoga and transcendental meditation, and asceticism are few evidence of mind ruling the body. The vacuum created by the dead spirit can be taken over by the evil spirits and rule the mind and the body. Demon possession, witchcraft, and occult practices are few evidence of evil spirits taking over the mind and body of human beings.]

Like there are physical, chemical and biological laws that are generally true, there are spiritual laws that hold good always everywhere for every man. One of these is the law of sin and death. This law states "the wages of sin is death". Sin is transgression of the law set by God. God, as Creator of all, knows what is good for His creation, especially man, for his peaceful life on earth. He also knows what is evil for mankind that can bring forth death. So, God rightfully commanded man to not venture into knowing what is good and evil. He also warned man, “You will surely die” when man breaks this commandment.

(Sin, also known as inequity, originated in Satan, a special creation of God that wanted to be like the Most High and rebelled against Him. Satan abused the freewill that God had given him. Instead of serving the Creator with love, Satan’s heart was lifted up because of his beauty; he had corrupted his wisdom by reason of his brightness. God cast him out of His presence along with all angelic beings that fell for his deception. Satan, with his rebels, fell to the footstool of God – earth. When God created man, he approached man enticing him with the same uncouth ambition for which he himself fell: “You can be as gods”. And man fell).

There is also another spiritual law that concerns man: the law of the Spirit of life. This law can make man free from the law of sin and death. While this law has always been true, even in the days before the fall of man into sin, this law came into effect evidently through the Lord Jesus Christ who is Life. And, thankfully, He comes as a Gift to every man who believes. He is the Righteousness that is needed to give man a standing before God. It is He Who imparts His life to every believer in Him. The Lord Jesus sends the Spirit of God into the heart of man to quicken / raise him from death.

[Here is an analogy: The law of gravity on earth pulls everything towards itself. However, this law of gravity can be nullified when another celestial body heavier than earth can pull everything towards it. Or, simpler still, if something or someone can shield a falling body from the law of gravity (like for example, a hand or a table under an object), the object is freed from this law and so, will not fall to the ground. This hand works against the law of gravity and prevents the object from falling to the earth.]

God put His spiritual laws in man’s conscience / mind that is the seat of his soul. Man’s will and emotions are expressed through this soul. As long as man realizes that these spiritual laws govern him, he can choose to remain on God’s side by exercising his freewill to continuously believe and as a result obey Him and express his emotion of love towards God. However, man can also exercise his freewill to disbelieve God and consequently disobey Him, thus expressing his emotion of hatred towards God. He would then become an enemy of God because he chooses to break away from Him.

Even the first man Adam sinned against God by doubting God and consequently disobeying Him. Sin entered humanity because of disbelief. Disobedience was the first sinful activity that man committed because of the flesh that became active in him that moment onward. This flesh is not the muscle tissue that contains the blood vessels and nerves and surround the bones. This is the sin principle that remains active in him because of the entry of sin. Various other sins followed as unbelief started taking root deep within man’s heart, the seat of his spirit. (This heart is not the physical four-chambered organ that pumps blood to the other body cells).

The death of the spirit of man occurred instantly as per the law of sin and death. Adam lost his privilege of communicating with God; he also started running away from the presence of God because of the guilt that stuck deep with him like the scar after a wound. He became insensitive to the warning and voice of God. Man started pursuing his ambition by devising his own ways to reach godhood. However, he has always failed because, by disobeying God, he became the enemy of God and a slave to Satan the archenemy of God. Disobeying was a conscious decision while slavery might not have been in Adam’s purview until he fell for Satan’s deception.

The body of man started dying right from the time his spirit died. This would continue to happen until he breaths his last. He would hasten this death through sins that he will heap upon himself subsequently. The death of man’s body would make him insensitive to the world around him. However, the Scriptures term this physical death as ‘sleep’ in many places. The reason for such a mention is because all who die in this body, sinner or saint, will rise bodily on the last day to face judgement by the Creator.

The death of the soul is eternal separation from God, His presence and His love. This would happen when the sinful man is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone on the last day of this earth. This is second death; the first death occurred in his spirit because of sin. The second death will occur because of his sins.

Sinful man would die eternally in his body and soul. Man’s soul would be eternally tormented, and his body would be tortured without end because of this self-inflicted punishment. A loving God would not and did not want man to perish in hell and the lake of fire and brimstone.

Thanks to God Who is rich in grace and mercy, man could have been (and still can be) forgiven of his sins and could have been (and still can be) saved from this punishment; all he has to do is that he must heed to the voice of God and submit himself to the redemption plan of God while still alive in his body on this earth.

Sin entered into the world by one man – Adam. Death followed sin. This death passed upon all men. All men sinned. Here we are, unbelievers, doubting God’s goodness and disobeying Him; All have sinned and come short of the glory of God; we have comprehensively missed the glorious standard that God had set for man to live. (If we meet this standard, we would not be sinners. However, we have always failed in our own efforts to meet God’s righteous ‘benchmark’). We have remained rebels and devised our own ways to free ourselves from this doom and dubious destiny.

Life (Adam) -> Death (Adam) -> Death (me) -> Eternal Death (me, if I continue in sin till my last breath) which is Second death.
Life (Adam) -> Death (Adam) -> Death (me) -> Eternal Life (me, if I believe in Jesus during my lifetime) which is first resurrection.

Here is the Salvation and Redemption plan of God in brief:

God promised Adam that there will arise a Seed among mankind Who will crush the head of His archenemy Satan and defeat him, sin, death and hell. But this will require the very God Himself to condescend from heaven to earth as Man among the fallen humanity. He will bear the sin of the world on Himself and die as per His own verdict (i.e., the wages of sin is death). He will be the Saviour of the world. He will pay a massive price – God’s own blood – to redeem the fallen masses from the bondage they have sold themselves to. Only His precious blood will be acceptable in the heavenly court of God, the righteous Judge. Because the life of the flesh is in the blood, His blood will have to be poured out completely at the heavenly altar.

Jesus (meaning Saviour in the Hebrew language) would die spiritually (though for a moment) when He, the Son of God as the Son of man (representing every human being) would be forsaken by His holy Father Who cannot behold sin. Jesus would die physically too to suffer death in His body. However, His soul would not perish in hell because even though He was born in the likeness of sinful flesh He would have lived a sin-free life on this earth by the power of the Holy Spirit. He would be risen from the dead on the third day to be declared with power that He is the Son of God. This will happen at an appointed time in His-story.

From Adam till Moses, sin had always been there in man. That is why man committed various sinful activities called the works of the flesh. So, mankind continued to remain separated from God. However, as per the eternal purpose of God, Who had factored in all these events in His-story, He had for Himself one line of humanity who always trusted in His word and who submitted themselves to His plan lovingly. Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham were some mentionable names in this line until Moses. Through Moses, God would give His law to these descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who would realize how holy God is and how they need to come to Him for mercy and grace.

However, until this appointed ‘time’ for the arrival of the Saviour, God had instructed man to offer a sacrifice of an innocent life – lamb / goat or bull (or even doves for those who can’t afford animals), as a reminder to man of the deadliness of sins and as an expression of faith one has on God’s promise of the Saviour and Redeemer. Any other bloodless sacrifice would be unacceptable. He chose Abraham who believed in the plan of God. A remnant of his descendants continued to believe that God would save the world through a Saviour born in that believing line. They remained separated from the world as a holy people. (Not all Israelites believed – only a chosen minority kept trusting God. Others lost themselves in the idol worshiping and ungodly majority of the world population. God was not pleased with these detractors).

When it was time ripe for the appearing of the Son of God on this earth, He was born as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. He fulfilled everything that was prophesied and promised of Him. The Saviour, as man, died, was buried, and rose again to be made Christ and Lord for mankind to behold. So, forgiveness of sins and eternal life is available exclusively in this Saviour alone.

Those who believed in the advent of the Saviour were saved by this sacrifice offered on the cross approximately two thousand years ago from today. This included not only the believing line of the Jews but also gentiles who left behind their idolatrous lifestyle to follow the living God. Rachab a Canaanitess and Ruth a Moabitess are examples of such gentile believers. Their spirits went to God who gave them the breath to live. Their souls went to a place of silence (Paradise or Abraham's bosom) from where the Lord delivered them from 'death' and lead them as a train to heaven. At least some of them also received back their bodies as per Matthew. Others souls (if at all there are any such believers who did not receive their bodies back) will come to receive their bodies to live with their Saviour forever. Their spirits will be restored in their glorious bodies enabling communication with God.

Those who did not believe in the promise of the Saviour to come, even if they offered sacrifices as a religious ritual, died in their sins. Apart from the gentiles, this would include the unbelieving Israelites and Jews. All non-Israelites / gentiles were ungodly people living an abominable lifestyle displeasing God and so, died in their sins. Their spirits went to God as they owed it to Him who gave it to them in the first place (but did not receive life all their wasted lifetime). Their souls went to hell and still in hell. They will be raised bodily to receive judgement of condemnation. Their spirits will be restored but will remain dead for ever. There is not another opportunity.

Post Calvary, all who believe in this salvation plan and the redemption work of God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, even though they are dead in their trespasses and sins, would receive life in their spirit. They will be born again to live for God. This is the first resurrection. They die for self (give up their life) and accept Jesus as their head. These believers, as priests would also rule with Him for a thousand years (not a literal 1000); this will be till the time He starts winding up things on this earth – the time of the end. Second death will not have power over such people who have a part in the first resurrection.

Such 'born again in the spirit' New Testament believers will not face eternal separation from God as they have established a life-filled relationship with their God by believing in His eternal purpose and His divine plan. Even if they die physically (sleep in the dust), they will be raised from their sleep on the last day to everlasting life until which time their souls will rest in heaven, God's presence. Some who are alive will not even taste physical death. They will be raptured (caught up) to meet their Lord in the clouds on the last day. All those who have received life in their spirit will remain with their Lord forever in their transformed bodies, their souls saved for ever from destruction and doom. Thankfully, this glorious hope is exclusively available only in Christ Jesus.

All who reject Jesus the ‘Way’ that God has provided to come to Him, will remain dead all these thousand years – a long time indeed. Their souls will go to hell. After they awake from the dust and from their sleep (next bodily resurrection), they will stand for judgement to shame and everlasting contempt. Their spirits will be restored in their vile bodies; their spirits will remain dead forever. They will have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. This will be second death.

[Originally, the lake burning with fire and brimstone was made for Satan and his allies (1) the beast (the Antichrists of this world – the unbelieving Jews and Islamists that deny that Jesus is the Son of God (His divinity) and Jesus is the Son of Man (His humanity) and (2) the False Prophet (USA that is the advocate and mouthpiece of this Anti-christian population). However, since ungodly mankind also became allies of Satan, they are also destined for this Godless eternity.]

Those that are born dead in spirit, if they are born again in spirit will live for ever; though they die in their bodies, they will live again bodily. Some born-again people will not even die bodily. Their souls would have found eternal bliss in their glorious bodies. They will remain with their Lord and follow Him wherever He goes.

Those who are born physically but dead in spirit and remain dead in spirit will die eternally again – eternal separation from God. They will be raised up bodily on the last day. They will remain in their bodies to suffer unending torture; their dead spirit and soul will stay in their body to suffer eternal torment.

[Note 1. Adam was made a living soul in a human body. He had the Lord God guiding him in all righteousness until he used his freewill to disobey Him. Sin entered mankind and Adam died in his spirit on the day he sinned. The scriptures is silent on whether he became a believer later on and received life in his spirit. If he had died with his relationship with God lost even until his last breath in his body, he will go to the lake burning with fire and brimstone. If he died an unbeliever, his soul is still in hell waiting for the bodily resurrection and eternal condemnation.

Note 2. Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit but in the likeness of sinful flesh. So, as He kept submitting to God aided by the Spirit, He lived a sinless life on this earth. Though He was tempted at all points as we are, He was without sin. So, He Who need not have died, died in His spirit (though only momentarily) and His body for the sake of all mankind. As the Holy One, death could not keep Him in its hold. He defeated death by His death on the cross. He was raised from the dead bodily on the third day never to die again anymore. He gives His thirst-quenching ‘water’ to everybody who comes to Him seeking eternal life.

Note 3. All children are shaped in inequity and conceived in sin. They are born with their spirits dead to God because of the sin principle (or flesh or carnal nature) in them. However, until their souls are mature enough to take over their bodies to force them to commit sinful activities, they are not sinners. If such a child dies before it knows what unbelief and disobedience to God is, it is not considered a sinner. It will be accepted by God into the glorious eternity as are other believers whose sins are forgiven. The kingdom of heaven is made of such babies too.

Note 4. All mankind who do not have their soul developed and are unable to differentiate between good and evil (schizophrenics by birth, autistics, children with Down’s syndrome etc) are a special creation and are considered as babies too. They become (or remain) as children even though they grow old physically. They will also populate heaven.

Note 5. All mankind who become schizophrenics, brain damaged, fallen into a coma, or permanently demon possessed sometime in their life (who had lived a normal life at least for some time with their well-functioning and sensitive soul) are heading for hell, if they die in this condition physically. They deliberately lived a life defying God’s law – committing evil even though they knew that it was evil. Their conscience would have pricked them when they committed such sinful activities. If they had been seeking for the truth (as were Saul and Cornelius), they would have had an encounter with God that gave them an opportunity to repent and turn to the Saviour during their fully conscious lifetime.]

The following verses from the Bible (and more not quoted, though)are taken as basis for the article:

God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he Him. – Gen 1:27

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. -Gen 2:7

The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -Rom 6:23
As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. -Rom 5:12.

Through the offence of one, many be dead [died, are dying and will die] -Rom 5:15

the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul. -Lev 17:11

But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -Rom 6:23

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. -Rom 8:2

Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. -Dan 12:2

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. -Rev 21:8

In that He himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted. -Heb 2:18.

We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. -Heb 4:15

Except ye be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. -Mat 18:3; Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. -Mat 19:14.